31 January 2013

The Perfect Weekend Bag

Does anyone need a new overnight bag or carry on bag? I used mine recently at Alt and realized I should show these to you guys. These are army bags from Rothco, a trusty company we used to source some vintage army shirts back in my Harvey Faircloth days. I traveled with these bags every time I went to see Danny in Boston, while we were dating. These bags are SUPER durable and CHEAP. I've had mine for a few years now and will probably always have them. The above bag is $16.49.

I also have this smaller "tool" bag and use it for cosmetics and toiletries, while traveling. I love it. $18.99.

P.S. These bags will go with me somewhere fun soon. I figured it would come up, so I just might as well come out and tell you. Eeks! We're going to HAWAII!!! I really can't believe it. Danny's company invited us on a trip. It could not be a better time to take a break from this cold weather. It will also be our last fun outing before my upcoming surgery and the transfer of our frozen embryos. (Do I think of them all the time? Yes, I think of them all the time!! :) :) I hope they're little survivors.)

25 comments:

I hope your embryos are all little survivors, too! Praying for you both!

In the meantime, enjoy this trip to Hawaii! How exciting! Never been there, but in December we took a break from the cold of Hamburg, Germany to go on our belated honeymoon to Bali. It sure is nice having summer when you know you'd otherwise be freezing! :) Enjoy your trip!

If you do the Road to Hana in a rental car, don't get a convertible like we did... they're good for driving from beach to beach, but we didn't have 4-wheel-drive and missed out on the more naturey stuff on the East side of Maui.

Oh, I absolutely love that these bags are so affordable! I've been looking for a new makeup bag for ages. And have a wonderful time in Hawaii -- I'm from Honolulu and would love to send you some great foodie recommendations if you're interested. It's one of my favorite places to chow down. :) xo

I second the Road to Hana. It is a gorgeous drive. I recommend a spot right as you head down Hana Highway in Pa'ia called the Flatbread Company. I have been dreaming of their Kalua Pork flatbread ever since. They have GF flatbread and lots of salad selections for you too Maura. Check it out here: http://flatbreadcompany.com

so many lovely things in this post! fantastic bag. would make a great vday gift! he will love it. go frozen embryos!!!! praying and hoping for you. visualize it.maui. love. we spent our 2nd honeymoon there and just melted into maui. we are costco members, so we made a stop there (it's right by the airport) and stocked up on a few snacks for the hotel room. mac nuts, chocolate covered yummies, palate of water, pineapple, yes you can get these elsewhere, but it saved a little $ and we love us a midnight snack! we also bought snorkel gear at costco and brought it with us (they also sell the gear at costco in maui). i just don't like the idea of sharing. plus, we could stop ANYWHERE and snorkel, and there are a few little places where you can just duck off, strip down, and dive in! one place we went off the honoapilani hwy was, honolua bay. we tried the road to hana and it was too long for my short attention span. we hit the first waterfall, and then headed back to have lunch at MAMAS FISH HOUSE in Pa'ia. this was the best meal we had. very romantic, too.i could go to uluani's shave ice on front street in lahaina every single day of my life. go after 4, when the cruise ship crowd dies down. there is also a lovely little flea market full of shops right there. i wish we did the early morning bike ride down haleakala, but we didn't. we cruised up there on our own grabbing a picnic at one of the little grocery stores on the way up. it was cold. bring a hat.loved our snorkel cruise to molokini. we got the underwater photography package so we could have some pics of us underwater waving. or, you can buy one for cheap. kodak makes one that is $99 that takes hd video and stills. if you get it, practice before hand.hands down fave - sunset dinner cruise / whale watching tour on a catamaran. time of our lives! i'll never forget maui!

Yay! Hawaii! We just got back from Maui! We travel with two baby girls (one is 3 1/2 and one is 1 1/2), so our trip is a little slow paced, but we still manage to see as much as we can:

1. If you do the Road to Hana and if you are prone to car sickness, take drugs. It's as windy a road as you will ever drive. I get severely car sick (and so does one of our babies), so I stayed on the beach with the chicklets and my husband went and captured the beauty on film. It is indeed incredible. Unreal.2. Haleakala is beautiful and magnificent. Make the drive as soon as you can (as the longer you're there, the longer you want to just sit around and bask! ha ha). Most people go for sunrise and bike down (which looks terrifying to me - the shoulder of the road is NOT wide). We took a different route - we drove up for sunSET, which was spectacular! Beware, however. The visitor's centers on Haleakala close at about 3 p.m. (The open for sunrise.)3. Whaler's Village has a bunch of fun eating and shopping. We eat at Leilani's (upstairs or on the beach - both are great) at least twice each time we go.4. Kaanapali (where we stay) has gorgeous, super soft beaches with lots of snorkeling, surfing, paddle surfing lessons available. (There's a good chance you're staying there? Most resorts are there). 5. There's a small hike/walk to Honolua (our kids make it on foot), which is a beautiful snorkeling spot. It's a bit of a hidden treasure, and mostly locals are there. The hike/walk is gorgeous as well.6. The Maui Swap Meet is every Saturday. IF and only IF you want souvenirs (wraps, dresses, hair clips, beaded necklaces) or delicious and giant produce (think avocados the size of cantaloupes!), make a visit. It costs fifty cents to get in. We always go and buy the girls matching Hawaiian dresses. It's not too fancy, but good for random souvenirs and food.7. Lahaina is a super fun shopping/eating district. We love getting gelato and walking the streets after the sun goes down.

And that's all I can think of right now! I'm currently updating my blog with pictures. Feel free to check it out there. :)

All great ideas and fun places! Just remember, no snorkeling around dawn or dusk (seems silly now) or you might do what I did and run into a shark....a very large shark! And beware of riptides. Not only can they pull you out to sea, they can also remove parts of your swimwear.

Hawaii! While technically not Hawaiian, I consider Hawaii the land of my people. I love it there.

Yes road to Hana! Here are my suggestions for it--don't take a tour just drive it yourself. And go ALL the way around. A lot of people just go halfway and come back, do the whole way around....it's just the most beautiful, secluded place ever. Stop at the random towns, church's, beaches along the way... take your time and explore. This will be one whole day of your trip but so worth it.

Have fun and Go Frozen Embryos! (also the name of Jordan Cattalano's band in My So-Called Life...)

Go to Duke's and eat the Hawaiian Pie. Go to the town of Pai'a and eat the Macadamia nut pancakes (they are huge!) at Charley's Restaurant.Soak in the sun on Ka'anapali Beach.And I highly recommend to anyone on their first trip to Maui -- go on a helicopter tour!!! Worth the money.Have a great trip!

And thanks for the duffel bag info -- we have been meaning to get duffel bags for our family for the longest time. Sooo much easier to pack into the van on road trips than suitcases.

You're going to have so much fun in Maui! If you have a chance before you go, buy a snorkel, goggles & fins from Costco and bring them along. Buying them once usually will equal the cost of renting them once.

Get a casual lunch at Starnoodle in Kihei: http://www.starnoodle.com

Drive south on Wailea Alanui Dr through Wailea to look at the lovely flowers & landscaping. It's a quieter scene here than in Lahaina.

Big Beach in Makena State Park is beautiful. Long, gorgeous stretch of sand.

Definitely go snorkeling at the Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve, too. It's sort of hidden, but so worth it! http://www.hawaiisnorkelingguide.com/ahihi_kinau.html

I came back from Maui yesterday, and bless you--you are going to have a wonderful time! You've got to check out the "blowholes" on the West side. Hike on down, feel the spray on your face, and take in the wonder of it all. Then drive around the west side of the island. There's a charming village from the 1850s. It feels very authentic. The road's a little sketchy and windy, but that makes it all the more exciting. So excited for you! Have a wonderful trip.

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